A Question of Enterprise?
by premierexecutor
Summary: A simple question: "Dad, I wonder how the crew of the Enterprise is doing?" turns into something neither Kilo or Anthony could expect. Read and Review please? Number 2 of my StarTrek: The Next Generation series of fanfics.


**A Question of Enterprise?**

Anthony's Home, Imperial District 1, Zentennolist Empire, 06/17/2390, 15:32

Anthony chuckles as watches his Cupid costume clad son watch his battle with Klingon Lieutenant Worf. He realizes at that moment that his son is obsessive. Whatever the child likes, he does with machine-like precision. When the screen fades, Kilo runs over to his father and plops down in his lap.

He beams up at his father as he speaks, "Dad, I wonder how the crew of the _Enterprise_ is doing?"

He regards his son with a smile as he speaks, "That is a good question. It's a good thing I know the ship's classification, NCC-1701-E. Grab my hand, son."

The boy regards his father with excitement as he grabs his hand and they vanish in white light.

…

A white light winks into existence and glows as a rainbow as Kilo and his father appear on the bridge of the _Infinite Glory_. Anthony strolls over to the holoboard in his direct eyesight and places his right hand atop it.

He faces the view-screen and grins as he turns to his son. "I've found them."

"Found who, dear?"

He averts his gaze to the view-screen to find his wife flashing her gold at him. He chuckles as his eyes flash blue-green and return to their golden hue as he speaks,

"The _Enterprise_, dear."

She regards her husband with a smile. "Very well, but you aren't leaving without the Infinite Sacrifice and the Fleets of Righteous Cause, Justice, Mercy, Strength, and Retribution. We will going in cloaked, ready to strike on your command."

"Thank you, honey. Hyperspace jump, now!"

Victoria salutes as her face vanishes, replaced by a blue light swallowing the Infinite Sacrifice and it's fleet into the void.

…

Stardate: 67541.8, (Tues., 07/17/2390, 18:10:04)

Captain, the ship's shields are holding at 57%."

Picard nods as he turns to Commander Riker. "So, where do we stand?"

"Captain, we've only destroyed three of their ten ships and if we don't get out of this system or get aide soon, we're done for. I don't…."

Data speaks as he averts his eyes from the scanner. "Captain, I'm reading a vessel of Zentennolist class heading toward us on the starboard side, at a speed of Warp 9.76. It's identifying itself as the _Infinite Glory_."

"On screen."

Straightaway, Anthony and Kilo's faces appear on the view-screen. "En voros Deos, Captain Picard. Your services to the Zentennolist Empire are known to me. Long time no see old friend. Who are you battling?"

"Take a look, Kaiser."

Anthony's blood begins to boil as he spots the eagle-shaped ships of an old foe, the Romulans.

He snaps his fingers as Picard's face reappears on-screen. "Captain, you've got my full support in this fight."

Picard regards him with gratitude as his face disappears from the _Enterprise's_ view-screen, replaced by the Infinite Sacrifice and it's capital fleet pulling out of the blackness of the void in a honeycomb of green light. Picard's eyes widen in shock as he stares at the view screen.

"Captain, the Zentennolist fleet of Righteous Cause has surrounded us on all sides; our shield recharge has tripled!"

Picard regards Commander Riker with acceptance as Anthony's face appears on-screen.

"Our fleet stands ready, Captain. The combined might of the Zentennolist Capital Fleet and the _Enterprise_ vessel will be their undoing. All cruisers, fire at will, enhance the shields and weapon systems of the _Enterprise_. Let them join us in the fight."

Picard grins as he speaks, "Fire plasma torpedoes!"

"Torpedoes firing at an increased rate, sir… Our attack has hit the main ship of their fleet."

The _Enterprise_ shakes as the enemy capital ship flies apart in blue-yellow flames. The other ships, seeing their capital ship decimated, vanish into the void. Anthony releases a chuckle as he and son appear on the bridge of the _Enterprise_ in white light.

When the light fades, Anthony and his son walk over to Captain Picard. "Praise to the Most High you all are safe."

Picard regards the Zentennolist leader with a nod as he speaks, "We thank you for your help, Kaiser, just one question: what is your son wearing?"

He turns to his son to find the child still clad in his Cupid costume instead of his red armored shirt and forest green shorts. He face palms as he faces the starship captain. embarrassment clear on his countenance.

"Well, Captain, this would be the Cupid costume that Kilo wore to a party the humans of our Holy City threw us. He liked the feedback he got because of the costume that he's worn it ever since."

Picard regards the leader with compassion. "Don't be embarrassed, Kaiser Centriany, he's a child and children sometimes embarrass their parents. I do know this, Guinan and the other women on the ship would love to see him and probably fawn over him."

He chuckles at the Captain's suggestion. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea, where is Guinan?"

"In Ten Forward, I'll call her to the bridge and she can watch over your Cupid son, Kilo while you and I talk in the Conference Room."

The Zentennolist leader nods as Captain Picard calls Guiana to the bridge. The moment the El-Aurian appears on the bridge, she smiles at Anthony and trains her eyes on the child.

As she walks over, Anthony kneels down to his son. "Guinan is going to watch you while the Captain and I talk, okay?"

Kilo regards his father with a nod as he takes Guinan's hand. Guinan turns to Captain Picard, who nods at her unspoken question. She smiles down at Kilo and leads him to Ten Forward. Anthony faces Captain Picard, who rises and leads him to the Conference Room. Once inside, Anthony's eyes examine the Conference Room. Upon spotting a rectangular table sitting in the middle of the room, Captain Picard sits down to the far right. Anthony regards the Captain with a nod as he sits to the left of him.

"So, Captain, why have you called me in here?"

"I want to know more about the Zentennolists."

He regards the starfleet captain with agreement as he begins speaking, "Well, Captain Picard, we Zentennolists are aliens from Planet Tarareth IV. We departed the planet in 2115 due to the Foremythic Promenance, a gold mist that hovered over the planet. That mist destroyed all planet life by 2117. We were one of the two races on that world. The Tararethians are the planet's main population, we, however, are the enlightened form of the Tararethians."

Captain Picard regards the alien with admiration, telling him to continue.

Anthony smiles as he continues to speak, "You've seen most of our abilities already. Those however, were requiring the close proximity of a star or the Infinite Sacrifice. Zentennolists have four main abilities that don't require a star or the Infinite Sacrifice. These are healing, granting eternal youth, shadowspaceation: movement between space and time, and our enhanced combat skills. I'm certain Lt. Worf can attest to this."

Picard chuckles, motioning for Anthony to continue.

"Captain, the Zentennolist Empire is one of the most powerful empires to my knowledge. Our fleets our 500 strong. The Zentennolist Imperial Holy City of Infinite Sacrifice is encompassed at all time by the Imperial Defense Fleet, consisting of the Fleets of Righteous Cause, our capital fleet, the secondary Fleet of Justice, the Fleet of Mercy, the Fleet of Strength, and the Fleet of Retribution. Each of our fleets is 100 ships strong."

"If that is true, Kaiser, why is it that when we first saw the Holy City and the capital fleet there were only twenty ships?... Wait, the others were cloaked, weren't they?"

The alien leader regards the captain with a nod and a smile. "Yes, ready to peal away from the void and assail the unsuspecting enemy."

The starfleet captain nods at the alien's statements, his respect for him and his Empire growing as they continue speaking. He shakes off the thought to see the alien tilting his head to one side in confusion.

"Something wrong, Captain Picard?"

The captain shakes his head as he speaks. "With such a massive fleet you must have good armaments."

Anthony nods as he holds out his right hand, only to place it on the table in front of them. Straightaway, an image of the _Infinite Glory_ appears. He smiles and points to the ship as he begins speaking.

"The _Infinite Glory_, like all our ships, come with three bow-mounted Proximity Ionization Disruptor Cannons, ten starboard and ten port-mounted Plasma Phase Cannons, and the most powerful weapon of ours, the TX-80 Photon Rail Cannon on the underbelly."

The starfleet captain's eyes widen at the knowledge he's become witness to. He is thankful that the Zentennolists aren't enemies of the Federation. He just hopes that no one starts another war.

…

Guinan smiles as she watches Kilo devour his sixth plate of chicken. In the past couple of hours she's spent watching the child, many women have come by and fawned over both his outfit and his appetite for new foods. She sits down next to the child as he trains his lavender eyes on her. Straightaway, she releases why so many women were fawning over the child: the pure innocence incasing his eyes.

"Guinan, what is it, what's wrong?"

She shakes her head at the child, who yawns. "Nothing is wrong with me, but I think you're tired."

Kilo yawns again as he crawls into Guinan's lap and falls asleep. Guinan chuckles to herself as the child gets comfortable in her lap. Her reading of Anthony's mind was correct, his son is very clingy and trusting with those he knows well, family or friends. Guinan averts her eyes to the entrance of Ten Forward to find Anthony smiling down at her. She smiles as she stands with the child in her arms and hands him off to his father.

He smiles as he takes his son in his arms and faces Guinan, "Thanks for watching Kilo. How did he behave, Guinan?"

"He was wonderful, Anthony. He has quite the appetite though. I got him to try a human dish called chicken. He had six plates."

Anthony chuckles at Guinan as he nods. "Again, Guinan, thanks. I've got to go back home. My fleet has broken off to give the Enterprise enough space to jump to hyperspace."

"You're welcome, Anthony."

He smiles at her as he vanishes in white light. Later on the bridge, Captain Picard grins as he spots _Infinite Glory_ vanish into a veil of darkness.

Anthony's face appears on the view-screen, holding a sleeping Kilo in his arms. "Captain Picard, you are free to leave to wherever you please. We have halted in open space."

"Thank you, Kaiser Centriany. I pray we meet again."

"As do I."

The moment Anthony's face disappears from the view-screen, Picard faces his crew.

Commander Riker speaks as he nods, "Warp drives are prepared, Captain."

"Thank you, Commander. Warp 8."

With that spoken, the _Enterprise_ is swallowed by the void of space.

As the ship continues its voyage, Picard thinks, _"The Zentennolists are a very peaceful and caring race. They would make a valuable ally to the United Federation of Planets."_

THE END


End file.
